© ZLB
We have plans for Alexanderplatz. And for the Berliner Stadtbibliothek, too.
Whether you're stopping by to pick something up or spending a whole afternoon in the reading room, people use the Berliner Stadtbibliothek in many different ways. While we remain committed to a new ZLB at Alexanderplatz, we're not standing still at our current location either.
We're redesigning several areas to make working, exploring and accessing advice and support more flexible and accessible in the future. We're working with the planning team Tina Buß | Wir von Kebnekaise and bence zólyom architektur on these improvements.
Planning your visit
The first small changes will become visible from late October 2026. As soon as dates are confirmed, we'll provide updates here about the work, any potential disruptions and how to access our services and collections.
NEW LAYOUT IN THE READING ROOM
From late October, the desks in the reading room will be rearranged. The currently rather confusing central area will be given a calmer, clearer layout, with groups of eight individual workstations.
During November, the Law collection, recently returned items and most specialist journals will be moved into the reading room. To make space for the additional shelving, some workstations in one part of the reading room will be removed.
Find out more about the reading room
THE BERLIN PRESS (MICROFILM) COLLECTION IS MOVING TO THE GROUND FLOOR
Until 13 November, the microfilms will remain in their usual location on the second floor. From 16 November to 12 December, the area will be closed for relocation. During this period, the microfilm collection will not be accessible.
From 14 December, the microfilms will once again be available in the new Berlin Press (Microfilm) area on the ground floor.
What's changing and where
We're planning improvements in several areas of the Berliner Stadtbibliothek. Workstations will be rearranged, furniture replaced, and some collections and services moved to new locations.
Foyer | Service Area | Reading Room | Health Reading Room | Berlin Collections Reading Room | Berlin Press (Microfilm)
© ZLB
Foyer: a welcoming place to arrive and stay
The foyer is a place to arrive, read the newspaper, meet people and spend time. We're gradually replacing the seating to ensure there will once again be plenty of comfortable armchairs to suit different needs – whether you're taking a break, having a conversation or enjoying a few pages of a book.
Preliminary visualisation
© WIR VON KEBNEKAISE NETZWERK
Christine Buß & bence zólyom architektur
Service area: one place for all your library needs
In future, information, advice and all library services will be available in one central location.
Getting the help you need will be easier and more convenient. Our new service desks will be brought together in one area, allowing us to respond to your enquiries more quickly.
All reserved items – whether books, films, magazines or microfilms – will be available for collection or on-site use at a new, central and accessible collection point. No more trips to the basement or second floor!
The special reading area for consulting rare and special materials from the Berlin Collections under supervision will also be located here, with step-free access. Seated and standing workstations will be available for research.
© Dragos Negoita
Reading room: better workspaces and more collections
The central area of the reading room, which currently has a rather confusing layout, will be redesigned to create a calmer, more clearly organised workspace. In future, all workstations are intended to have easily accessible power outlets.
In the alcoves used for special displays, temporary furniture will be replaced with new, comfortable seating.
More collections will also be available directly in the reading room. The Law collection, currently located in the Ribbeckhaus building, will move here. You'll also find recently returned items and specialist journals covering all the subject areas represented in the reading room.
To make room for these additional collections, the number of workstations in this area will be slightly reduced.
© Mymito GmbH
Health reading room: work, move and relax
The Health Reading Room will offer a variety of spaces for working, reading and connecting with others.
Ergonomic workstations will make it easier to combine focused work with movement. There will also be comfortable places to read, explore and chat, as well as space for advice sessions and events. Books, other media and items from the Library of Things will be displayed in a more inviting way, encouraging visitors to browse and discover something new.
Preliminary visualisation
© WIR VON KEBNEKAISE NETZWERK
Christine Buß & bence zólyom architektur
Berlin Collections reading room: rediscover Berlin
The new Berlin Collections Reading Room will offer even more space for browsing, relaxed reading and exchanging ideas at a wide range of events. In future, there will also be music and special displays exploring Berlin-related topics.
The reading room will bring together materials from almost every field of literature and knowledge, all connected to Berlin, its history, present and development. These items can also be borrowed and taken home.
The new Berlin Collections Reading Room will be a place for everyone who wants to discover Berlin for the first time, rediscover familiar aspects of the city or see it from a different perspective.
© ZLB
Berlin Press (Microfilm): everything in one new location
From 14 December, the Berlin Press (Microfilm) collection will be located in the Parquet Room of the Ribbeckhaus building.
The microfilm collection and its reading equipment will move from the second floor to the ground floor. Digitally available newspapers and magazines will also be easier to access here.
If you have questions about using the microfilm readers or the collections, staff will be available to help during scheduled service hours, with no appointment necessary.
And what about Alexanderplatz?
Step by step, improvements are moving forward at Breite Straße. Looking to the future, our vision is to bring the ZLB together under one roof at Alexanderplatz.
Find out what that could look like and why we're working to make it happen.
Find out more about the ZLB at Alexanderplatz